Integrated Thrombectomy and Angioplasty Catheter for Vascular Patency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating blood vessel occlusions often require multiple passes and re-navigation of devices to distinguish between thrombus occlusions and stenotic regions due to intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD), leading to inefficient restoration of blood flow.
Innovation Solution
A single treatment system that combines a mechanical thrombectomy device and an angioplasty device, allowing for sequential deployment without retraction, where the thrombectomy device can maintain positioning and serve as a guidewire for the angioplasty device, enabling simultaneous or sequential treatment of thrombi and stenotic regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thrombectomy device is deployed to treat occlusion, then blood flow may be improved temporarily, but the vessel becomes occluded again once the device is retracted due to ICAD stenosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a thrombectomy device and an angioplasty device into a single integrated system. The thrombectomy device can be deployed first to address occlusion, and if ICAD is identified, the angioplasty device can be advanced over the same delivery catheter to treat the stenosis without requiring device removal or re-navigation, thereby maintaining patency restoration reliability while reducing procedural time
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery catheter system is designed to accommodate and deploy multiple types of devices (thrombectomy and angioplasty) through the same access pathway. This multi-functional capability allows the system to adapt to different pathological conditions (thrombus vs. ICAD) without requiring separate procedural steps, thus improving patency restoration while minimizing time loss
2Measurement precision
If multiple passes of thrombectomy device are performed to determine ICAD, then diagnosis accuracy improves, but procedural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating both thrombectomy and angioplasty capabilities in one system, the patent eliminates the need for multiple separate device passes to determine the underlying pathology. The clinician can attempt thrombectomy first, and if unsuccessful or if ICAD is suspected, the angioplasty device is already available through the same delivery catheter, simplifying the diagnostic process while maintaining accuracy
3Manufacturing precision
If thrombectomy device is retracted and removed to deliver angioplasty device, then treatment accuracy improves, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The angioplasty device is nested within the delivery catheter that already contains the thrombectomy device. This nested configuration allows the angioplasty device to be advanced over the existing delivery catheter and thrombectomy device without requiring removal of the thrombectomy device or re-navigation to the treatment site, thereby maintaining treatment accuracy while eliminating time loss associated with device removal and re-positioning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces procedural complexity and improves patency restoration by allowing for continuous blood flow during treatment, distinguishing between thrombi and ICAD without re-navigating the treatment site, thereby enhancing the success rate in restoring vessel patency.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable member coupled to an outer surface of the tubular member, the expandable member configured to be expanded into apposition with a vessel wall at the treatment site
Implementation Method 2
a thrombectomy device coupled to a distal end portion of the core member, wherein the thrombectomy assembly is configured to be slidably transitioned between a delivery configuration and a deployed configuration
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
A single treatment system for vascular defects can be configured for use in removing clot material via mechanical thrombectomy and/or for deployment of an expandable device at a lesion to treat intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD). Such a treatment system can include a delivery catheter carrying an expandable member configured to be deployed for treatment of ICAD, such as a balloon or balloon-mounted stent. A thrombectomy assembly includes a mechanical thrombectomy device (e.g., a stent retriever) coupled to the distal end of a core member that is slidably disposed within the delivery catheter lumen. In operation, the thrombectomy device can be slidably advanced beyond a distal end of the delivery catheter lumen, where the thrombectomy device can expand and engage clot material. Additionally or alternatively, the expandable member carried by the delivery catheter can be deployed (e.g., expanded into apposition with the vessel wall) for treatment of ICAD.